The number of civil servants with disabilities employed in Türkiye’s public sector has increased fifteenfold since 2002, reaching 82,880, according to Ministry of Family and Social Services data.
The data showed that the government continues to implement programs ranging from accessibility regulations and rehabilitation services to employment initiatives aimed at increasing the participation of disabled individuals in social and professional life.
One of the key steps in the employment process came in 2012 with the introduction of the Disabled Public Personnel Selection Examination (EKPSS), a system designed to support the recruitment of disabled individuals into public institutions according to their educational qualifications.
Under the program, the Ministry of Family and Social Services covers examination fees for disabled applicants, while candidates seeking to take the exam are required to have a disability rating of at least 40%.
According to the ministry data, the number of disabled public employees rose from 5,777 in 2002 to 82,880 through policies aimed at strengthening disabled individuals’ access to the labor market.
The ministry also continues to expand the “Protected Workplace Model,” which creates specially designed working environments for individuals with intellectual and psychosocial disabilities who face difficulties entering the open labor market.
Through the program, disabled employees are encouraged to participate in production processes and social life as more independent and self-confident individuals. The ministry additionally provides wage incentives for every disabled employee working in protected workplaces.
